Eligibility

Eligibility to live in residence is generally based on two criteria:

  • academic credit load
  • age requirements

Note: meeting all eligibility requirements does not guarantee a residence offer.

Academic Credit Load Requirements

Undergraduate students

Undergraduate students must be and remain registered in a degree-granting program during Winter Session (September–April) with a minimum of 9 credits of UBC undergraduate course work per term (18 credits total). The majority of these credits must be in-person course work. Only students who are enrolled in degree-granting programs are eligible for housing.

For greater clarity: students registered in Unclassified studies, Access studies, Certificate programs, Diploma programs, or as Visiting International Research Students (VIRS or VISI) do not meet the residence eligibility requirements.

Graduate students

Graduate students must be and remain registered in a full-time graduate program and have full-time status confirmed by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Additional Requirements

Winter Session Residence

You must meet the age requirement by December 31 of the year you move into residence.

If you are currently living in Winter Session Residence, you are eligible for any shared unit type listed below—regardless of the minimum age requirement. For all other unit types, you must meet the age requirement.

Residence Minimum Age Additional Information
Fairview Crescent 19 years* Must be 19+ to be eligible for a one bedroom suite.
Orchard Commons None 19+ are considered first for single rooms.
Place Vanier None 19+ are considered first for single rooms.
Ponderosa Commons Cedar House 19 years 19+ are considered first for studio suites.
Ritsumeikan-UBC House 18 years Must be 19+ to be eligible for a one-bedroom suite.
Totem Park, Place Vanier, Orchard Commons None 19+ are considered first for single rooms. Must be 19+ and a graduate student to be eligible for a one-bedroom suite.
Walter Gage 18 years Must be 19+ to be eligible for a studio and a one-bedroom suite in Walter Gage Apartments.

*Based on availability, some students under 19 may be assigned.

Year Round Residence

You must meet the age requirement by December 31 of the year you move into residence.

If you are currently living in Winter Session Residence, you are eligible for any shared unit type listed below—regardless of the minimum age requirement. For all other unit types, you must meet the age requirement.

Residence Minimum Age Additional Information
Brock Commons 19 years Must be 19+ to be eligible for a studio suite.
Exchange 19 years Must be 19+ to be eligible for a studio or one-bedroom suite. Consideration for one-bedroom suites is given first to graduate and 25+ students.
Fraser Hall 19 years
Iona House 19 years Must be 19+ to be eligible for a studio or one-bedroom suite.
Marine Drive 19 years Must be 19+ to be eligible for a studio. There are designated graduate student floors.
Ponderosa Commons
(Arbutus, Maple, Spruce, Oak)		 19 years Must be 19+ to be eligible for a studio suite.
Thunderbird 19 years Must be 19+ to be eligible for a studio or one-bedroom suite. Consideration for studio and one-bedroom suites is given first to graduate and 25+ students.

Graduate Colleges

You must meet the age requirement by December 31 of the year you move into residence.

Residence Minimum Age Additional Requirements
Green College 19 years Must be approved for a GC Resident Membership.
Single residents eligible for single units.
Couples and postdoctoral fellows eligible for studio units.
St. John’s College 19 years Must be approved for SJC Membership.
Single residents eligible for single units.
Couples eligible for one bedroom units.
Postdoctoral fellows and visiting faculty eligible for large single units.

Student Family Residence

Residence Minimum Age Additional Requirements
Acadia Park None Reserved for couples and adults with one or more dependent children 18 years of age or younger. Children must reside in Acadia Park for a minimum of ten months. One adult resident must meet academic credit load requirement.

Applicants to Student Family Residence must send documents for all occupants and below is a list of acceptable documents:

For Children (please provide one of the following):

  • Copy of passport
  • Birth certificate
  • Medical card

For Evidence of Cohabitation (acceptable documents may include):

  • Joint bank accounts or credit cards
  • Joint ownership of residential property
  • Joint residential leases
  • Joint rental receipts
  • Joint utility accounts (electricity, gas, telephone)
  • Joint management of household expenditures
  • Evidence of joint purchases, especially for household items

When a vacancy occurs, an offer will be made to the next person on the waitlist whose eligibility matches the size of the available unit according to these guidelines.

Children* One Bedroom One Bedroom + Den Two Bedroom Three Bedroom Four Bedroom
None Yes Yes No No No
One Yes Yes Yes No No
Two No No Yes Yes No
Three No No Yes Yes Yes
More than three No No No Yes Yes

* “Children” refers to anyone who has not yet turned 19 years of age who resides full-time in the residential premises for at least ten months of any calendar year.

If you have any questions about your eligibility for a unit size, or if you would like to request a unit size that does not align with the eligibility requirements outlined, please email us at family@housing.ubc.ca.

Summer Stay Through

Residence Minimum Age Additional Requirements
Fairview Crescent None Must have had a Residence Contract during the previous academic year. Summer course registration is not required.

Summer Residence

Students eligible for Summer Residence must belong to ONE of the following groups:

  • Group 1: UBC students who have lived in a residence managed by UBC Student Housing and Community Services on the Vancouver Campus during the previous Winter Session academic term (in either Winter Session Residence or Year Round Residence).
  • Group 2: UBC students who were registered full-time during Term 2 of the previous Winter Session academic term at UBC Vancouver.
  • Group 3: UBC students registered in summer credit courses (6 credits) or a graduate program at UBC Vancouver.
  • Group 4: UBC students employed by a UBC Vancouver department in a research capacity. Proof of employment is required. A copy of your appointment notice is sufficient.
  • Group 5: Full-time students from other universities who are performing research directed by a UBC Vancouver department. Proof of UBC sponsorship and student status is required. Please attach proof of UBC employment or sponsorship, if applicable, and provide your student number on your residence application.

First consideration for residence will be given to Groups 1, 2, and 3. Applicants from other groups will be assigned based on availability. Application does not guarantee assignment.

Early Arrival

Please note that fees apply for approved early arrivals.

Winter Session Residence

Early arrivals are typically not permitted. However, you may be eligible if you meet ALL of the following conditions:

  1. You have submitted your Winter Session Residence application and required payment prior to the indicated deadline and are awaiting confirmation of your assignment.
  2. You belong to one of the following pre-approved groups:
    • Students in early-starting academic programs.
    • Varsity athletes participating in early-starting team practices (as approved by Athletics and Recreation).
    • Indigenous students of Canada attending a welcome/orientation event hosted by the First Nations House of Learning.

If you are registered in Jump Start you do not need to apply for early arrival. The earliest date you can move in is August 26, 2025.

Year Round Residence

If you are interested in moving into your Year Round residence room earlier than your contract start date, please email information@housing.ubc.ca to inquire about availability.